USC’s backfield is starting to get real notice, and King Miller is right in the middle of it.
The Trojans’ running back duo has been drawing plenty of attention, with Miller’s rise standing out after he got his chance last year. Waymond Jordan opened the 2025 season in dominant fashion, but Miller has now pushed himself into the conversation among college football’s better backs, landing inside the top 150 player rankings.
In a recent ranking from Blake Brockermeyer, Miller checked in at No. 138. Brockermeyer pointed to the potential of USC’s one-two punch and gave Miller the nod as the slightly more productive of the two in 2025.
"Miller and Waymond Jordan should form one of the Big Ten's top backfield tandems, though I give Miller the slight edge after a more productive 2025 season. He rushed for nearly 1,000 yards while averaging 6.2 yards per carry and has the vision to run inside or outside. Miller combines good cutback ability with enough speed to finish explosive runs."
That kind of profile fits exactly what USC wants on offense. Miller’s game gives the Trojans another source of big-play juice on the ground, and he also brings value as a receiving threat out of the backfield. Lincoln Riley has always leaned into home-run plays, and Miller gives him another runner capable of turning a normal snap into something bigger.
For now, Miller looks like one of the more underrated backs in the country. If his upcoming season goes the way USC is hoping, he should be climbing even higher when these rankings roll back around next year.
In Other News...
USC Fans Are Getting A Very Different Coliseum Experience In 2026
USC spent the offseason listening closely to its crowd, gathering fan feedback after the 2025 season with an eye toward making Saturdays at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum feel fresher in 2026. The result is a noticeable push to upgrade the entire game day atmosphere, from a new pregame fireworks show to a more active in-stadium host and a family ticket package designed to make coming to games a little easier and a little more appealing.
There will also be a more ambitious food-and-fun element around the venue, including new concession items and a rotating "Dog of the Game" promotion, plus additional game day experiences whose proceeds will support the Trojan Athletic Fund. USC is also planning select home-game tributes to championship-winning Trojan teams and student-athletes, a reminder that the Coliseum experience is being built not just around entertainment, but around the program's history and the people who helped shape it. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A Defensive Newcomer Who Already Looks Ready To Matter
USC wrapped up a practice session with the opener against San Jose State looming, and the focus on the defensive side has started to sharpen. Alex VanSumeren, Jide Abasiri, Chasen Johnson and Jontez Williams all offered their thoughts on where the unit stands, with the general tone pointing toward a group that feels more settled and more invested in the work it has put in during camp.
Williams, a fifth-year senior and former Iowa State transfer, is one of the more interesting pieces in that mix because of how much ground he has already covered in his college career. He talked about his growth as a player and his first game in USC colors now drawing close, which gives the Trojans another newcomer to watch as the season begins and the defense starts to show what kind of role he might be ready to play. [Read more 🡒]
USCs New Defensive Duo Faces Immediate Pressure To Deliver
Gary Patterson and Paul Gonzales have picked up where they left off at TCU, only this time the reunion is unfolding at USC as the Trojans get ready for their season opener against San Jose State. Patterson is running the defense, Gonzales is helping shape the safeties and pass game, and the early sense around the program is that the familiarity between the two coaches is already paying off in how smoothly the unit is being put together.
Jontez Williams and Chasen Johnson have both pointed to that chemistry and leadership as reasons for confidence heading into the opener, and the pressure is immediate because USC does not have much time to wait for the defense to show it can hold up. The schedule offers a bigger measuring stick soon enough, too, with the Oct. 10 road trip to Penn State set for a 4:30 p.m. PT kickoff on NBC and Peacock, a game that will say a lot about how far this new-look defensive setup has come. [Read more 🡒]